New Year's Day dip into Lake Minnetonka? 770 do it for charity

A diver shocked by the cold is pulled to the dock to climb out of Lake Minnetonka, after making her ALARC Ice Dive on New Year's morning in Excelsior. (Pioneer Press: Scott Takushi)

Chain saws sliced a 28-foot-long swimming hole in Lake Minnetonka and 770 hearty folk braved a minus-20 wind chill to stroke, shiver and scream the distance -- all in the name of charity.

"You have to swim across, not just jump in and out," said Harley Feldman, the event's director, staking claim to the extra toughness required compared with other annual Twin Cities-area plunges each winter.

In its 23rd year, proceeds from the ALARC Ice Dive in Excelsior on Tuesday, Jan. 1, went to two charities: Semper Fi Fund, for injured soldiers and their families, and Suicide Awareness Voices of Education. Proceeds also benefit the Excelsior police and fire departments.

Participation dipped from about 850 a year ago, but an estimated $7,000 to $8,000 was raised, Feldman said.

Divers included the frivolous and the founder: Some jumpers donned costumes, and the dive's creator, Ben Wenmark, took the plunge for the 23rd time. Others courageous enough to dive for the 20th year received Orca warm-up robes, and 10-year divers got Shark robes.

Also making the dive, Wenmark said: an 86-year-old, a 10-year veteran diver who delayed her knee surgery to take the dip, and exchange students from around the world.